


Feudal Fairy Tales

by SilverFlameAlchemist



Series: Jukebox Drabbles [3]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Mafia Family, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Angst, Bars and Pubs, Falling In Love, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Other, POV Second Person, Song-inspired, Songfic, Surprise! You're In Love!, Wingman Kagome, Youkai Reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 11:19:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10306031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFlameAlchemist/pseuds/SilverFlameAlchemist
Summary: Everything changed, all in that one small moment with him.Reader/Various - Separate Summaries Inside





	1. Jar of Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But they were just memories now. Just ghosts that still haunted your dreams and people you thought you knew as you wandered idly through the woods or the village. Scents you caught on the wind that were so familiar, but not from the sources you hoped they would be from. They were gone, and you felt it in your being every day that you had to live without them.
> 
> Sesshomaru/Reader

And _who do you think you are?_  
_Runnin' 'round leaving scars,_  
_Collecting your jar of hearts,_  
_And tearing love apart…_

You sat on the front steps of your house and watched the wind flit through the trees, singing softly of better times and sweeter memories. There had been a lot of those in your life. More laughter than tears, more joy than sorrow… More love than hate.

You tried to remember those times as you watched the autumn leaves start to tear away from the branches that housed them, spinning off into the distance and vanishing into the woods. Something about this season always made you feel a little sad, as though a part of you died along with the leaves that surrounded you…

You were just standing up, ready to head inside, when something inside you went cold as you smelled it… The tang of an approaching storm on the wind.

He'd…

You stopped yourself before you could start to really reminisce, reminding yourself that it was over between you. He'd told you that.

But you didn't want to believe him.

 _No, I can't take one more step towards you_  
_'Cause all that's waiting is regret_  
_Don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore_  
_You lost the love I loved the most…_

You swore you started to see him now and then, from the corner of your eye, just out of sight and then completely gone when you turned to look properly.

You heard a girl giggle, and instantly assumed it was his adorable little ward, running to hug you.

You heard a high-pitched squawk, and giggled, because that little Imp had sounded _just_ like that, the first time you'd met…

But they were just memories now. Just ghosts that still haunted your dreams and people you thought you knew as you wandered idly through the woods or the village.

Scents you caught on the wind that were so familiar, but not from the sources you hoped they would be from.

They were gone, and you felt it in your being every day that you had to live without them.

 _I hear you're asking all around_  
_If I am anywhere to be found_  
_But I have grown too strong_  
_To ever fall back in your arms…_

You tried not to think about how alike Inuyasha was to his elder brother, and when the Hanyō came to visit you, you were cordial and kind, and always made sure that he knew he was welcome.

Sesshomaru may have left, but you refused to make his younger brother unwelcome because of his callous actions.

And you could tell it meant something to him, because he showed up more and more frequently, and always with some story about why he was there, as though coming for a visit was a sign of weakness.

"He asks about you, sometimes." Inuyasha mumbled one night at dinner.

You looked up from your meal with raised eyebrows. "Who does?"

"Sesshomaru," he whispered the name, as though speaking it normally might cause you physical harm, "whenever we run into each other, he asks how you're doing. I guess he can smell you on me, or something, cause he always knows when I've seen you." He frowned at that, as though his comings and goings to your house should be more privileged information.

You put on your bravest smile and returned to your meal, trying to act nonchalant. "Really? And what do you tell him?"

He cracked a grin, and you found it contagious. "I tell him you're better off without him. He always tries to stick me for that. I don't let him."

You managed a soft laugh, and Inuyasha managed to look less uncomfortable for the rest of his stay, but you wished you could send him a message.

You wished you could tell him how you really felt.

 _You're gonna catch a cold_  
_From the ice inside your soul_  
_So don't come back for me_  
_Who do you think you are?_

You moved on.

You worked and trained, and put your mind to better use than fretting and regretting. You learned things you'd never known before, and widened your repertoire.

You learned how to cure poisons and bind wounds, how to _help_ people.

People who'd been wounded.

You never failed to see the beautiful irony in that.

But one day in the woods, that giggle filled the air, and this time it wasn't your imagination.

Rin was running towards you full-tilt and you had to pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming, because _that wasn't supposed to happen_.

"I'm so glad I found you!" She gushed as she sat next to you and just stared up at your face. "I've been looking for you for a few days, and I was worried I'd gotten off course, but I must not have, because you're here!" She giggled and then sighed. "I just wanted to come see you, because Lord Sesshomaru says we won't be coming to see you again for a long time, and I missed you!"

You felt your heart flutter at the sound of his name, and mentally kicked yourself for it. "Well I'm glad you came, Rin, I've missed you too."

"Really?" She asked, as though it was the last thing in the world she'd been expecting from you.

"Really." You replied with a smile. "But you'd better be getting back. Lord Sesshomaru will be worried if he realizes you've run off on your own."

She nodded, hopping up to her feet and giving you another tight hug and a dazzling smile. "I'll see you again soon, won't I?"

You tried to be as brave as you replied, giving her your brightest smile. "I'm sure you will."

She dashed off the way she'd come, waving over her shoulder at you, and you hated to see her go.

 _Dear, It took so long just to feel alright_  
_Remember how to put back the light in my eyes_  
_I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed_  
_'Cause you broke all your promises…_  
_And now you're back_  
_You don't get to get me back…_

You nearly screamed when you slipped back into your house and saw him sitting on your floor as though he'd never left.

His armor and fur wrap were sitting casually by the door next to his shoes, and he looked at you in a mildly surprised way, as though _you_ were the one who was interrupting _his_ peaceful evening.

You didn't know what to do. You didn't know what to say.

What _could_ you say?

The man you'd loved, _did_ love if you were being honest with yourself, was sitting in your house and all you could do was stare at him with wide eyes because he shouldn't have been here.

"Did Rin find you?" He asked suddenly, jarring you out of your thoughts.

"Yes." You replied shortly, finally managing to make it all the way through the doorway and into your house, trying not to stare at him. "Did you know that was where she was headed?"

"I had my suspicions. She has always been quite fond of you, after all." His eyes stayed on you as you set down your basket and sat across from him, trying not to fidget.

"You let her come anyway…" It wasn't really a question, but he answered all the same.

"It was better, this way."

"Better for whom, Sesshomaru?" Your voice wavered slightly on the last word, and you cursed yourself for it. You were better than this.

"For Rin," he replied, ignoring the tremor in your voice, "letting her break a few choice rules is better than having her rebel completely."

You felt your hands clench involuntarily, and tried to keep your voice even. "Then why are you here?"

"I came to see you."

"Why?"

He didn't reply as promptly, this time, and you felt yourself shrink under the scrutiny of his vibrant golden eyes, his voice drifting softly across the space between you only moments later.

"I am not sure."

You stood, moving to the back door and sliding it open. "Then perhaps you should go figure that out somewhere else." You wanted him gone.

You wanted his scent out of your nostrils, his voice out of your ears, his image out of your mind. You wanted to stop seeing his lips move with every eloquently spoken word, you wanted to stop thinking of how those same lips had felt being pressed to your own.

He stood, moving over to you, and paused before he took the invitation to leave. "You must allow me to…"

You cut him off with an annoyed growl, slamming a fist against his un-armored chest. "Who do you think you _are_?" You demanded. "You can't tell a woman goodbye and then sneak into her house to say _I don't know why I'm here but here I am_. You can't _do that_ , Sesshomaru!"

"Why not?" His tone was mildly surprised. "They are my thoughts that are muddled, may I not choose where I sort through them?"

" _No._ " You said firmly. "Because they're _my_ feelings you're messing with and _my_ house you're sneaking into! And will you stop looking at me like that?" You huffed after this last, looking away from him as his gaze continued to inspect you and pull you apart.

"How should I look at you, then? I am unaccustomed to looking at people I care for."

You snapped your head back up. "People you _what_?" You asked.

"People I care for," he repeated softly, "you asked me who I thought I was. I think I am someone who is very sorry for hurting you as I did, and _that_ is why I came here tonight, because I wished to tell you that. Clearly you do not wish to hear such things from me…" He trailed off, gaze finally faltering and sliding away from you to inspect the floor. "I should not have bothered you."

He moved past you, out of the door and into the darkening night, but you caught his arm before he could vanish again entirely, and pulled him right round and into a kiss.

He responded instantly, guiding you both back into the safety of your house before pulling away and looking at you in genuine surprise.

"Consider that my way of saying I forgive you." You managed after a moment. "But if you ever leave again, I will sick Inuyasha and his pals on you."

He chuckled softly, pulling you a little closer. "It would be quite entertaining to see their efforts, but I assure you that won't be necessary… I will not be leaving you again."

You smiled and pulled him into another long kiss, letting all the memories finally come pouring back. "Good… Because you'd certainly be missing out."

"I would be, wouldn't I…?" He let his gaze roam over your features again, and this time you didn't mind the attention. "Might I stay with you tonight, then, so as to avoid missing out as much as possible?"

You laughed, and nodded once. "You might…"

_Who do you think you are…?_

_"Jar of Hearts" by: Christina Perri_


	2. Holding Out For A Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How did you find someone like him attractive? How did you get here, after fighting against all of the things that made up the list of attractive qualities? How did you finally get over it and realize that no matter what your head said, this was clearly what your heart wanted? How had this gotten so out of control?
> 
> Bankotsu/Reader

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_  
 _He's gotta be strong_  
 _And he's gotta be fast_  
 _And he's gotta be fresh from the fight..._

It hadn't started out like your normal sort of romance…

It had started out as a battle to the death; the bloodier the better, and at some point between trying to slit each other's throats and slice the other into tiny shreds, you'd sort of fallen for each other.

And just thinking about it made you feel weird, like maybe there should have been a problem with that, but you really weren't sure where the problem was, given that you'd fallen just as hard for him as he had for you, and Stockholm Syndrome was _rarely_ a two-sided relationship.

So what made the Band of Seven's leader so…

Attractive?

You fell into an easy routine of breaking his appearance down every time this question arose in the forefront of your mind, and by now it was old hat, but you went through the list anyway.

From the top, then.

For starters, the man was, well… You blushed at the memory of walking in on him one night when he'd been getting ready to bathe, and the expanses of tanned skin that had been on display were certainly not unpleasing to the eye.

And speaking of eyes, his were bright and burning with intelligence and ingenuity, and whenever he looked at you, you swore you saw something else swim into them, even if you weren't sure what it was…

And then he opened his mouth and his voice could make shivers travel along your spine like nothing else.

And then there was the obvious appeal of a man who was strong in battle. A natural leader who knew what risks to take and just how far to go in order to achieve his goals. A man who applied that practice in most other areas of his life.

A man who, despite being ruthless on the battlefield, was gentle to his compatriots, and treated the other members with kindness unless another course of action was required.

So, there were quite a few things that you found attractive about him. And it was easy to explain why they were there and why they made you react the way they did, but the thing that got you was how it felt _after._

After the whirlwind of rapid pulses and bruising heartbeats. After the searing kisses and molten paths forged by curious fingers and an even more curious tongue. After the pain and pleasure had worn off and you were left staring up at the ceiling or the night sky and wondering _how_.

How did you find someone like _him_ attractive?

How did you get here, after fighting against all of the things that made up the list of attractive qualities?

How did you finally get over it and realize that no matter what your head said, this was clearly what your heart wanted?

How had this gotten so out of control?

 _Where have all the good men gone_  
_And where are all the Gods?_  
 _Where's the street-wise Hercules_  
 _To fight the rising odds?_  
 _Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?_  
 _Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need..._

They'd raided your home.

You remembered the first time you ever heard the name, _The Band of Seven_ , and wondered who they could be, because they didn't sound too dangerous.

But then you'd seen the trail of devastation that followed in their wake, and you felt your stomach plummet out from under you because where your village once stood was nothing more than ashes and corpses.

Jakotsu had called you cute when he'd first seen you. You figured that was probably what lead Bankotsu to tilt his head off to one side and decide that for once they would be taking a prisoner.

And you'd thought your stomach had plummeted before.

Jakotsu wasn't all that bad, though, and with time you found you didn't mind when he came to visit your cell, and you minded even less when Bankotsu came with him, because you found the way he talked to be interesting, and there was just… Something about him.

You'd never dreamed for a moment that that _something_ would turn into a full-fledged attraction over the course of time, but at the time you'd also thought that one of them would lose their temper and kill you before you got a chance to do much else.

Something kept them away from you, though, and one night when Jakotsu came to visit, he let slip that their illustrious leader kinda-sorta had a thing for you, and you had to try and hide your blush from his searching gaze, because you kinda-sorta had a thing for him too.

Not that you'd ever admit that, of course.

 _Somewhere after midnight_  
_In my wildest fantasy_  
 _Somewhere just beyond my reach_  
 _There's someone reaching back for me_  
 _Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat_  
 _It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet..._

It wasn't long after that that the lessons started.

At first it was just Jakotsu giving you vague descriptions of his fights, and you trying to work out the moves on your own. But it had escalated quickly, with a lesson from the man whenever he got the chance and the privacy.

You were a fast learner, and the next time Bankotsu came to visit you on your own, you broke out and got to the entrance before a hard body collided into yours and knocked the wind from you as you landed hard on the ground.

He'd chuckled into your ear and you'd tried to keep every thought not concerned with survival and escape out of your mind as you tried to twist out from under him.

"You've got spirit, I'll give you that." He'd grinned down at you when he'd managed to flip you onto your back. "But I've got the experience."

You'd growled at him, and that emotion had swirled through his eyes for a fraction of a second before the others came running and he turned to tell them it was okay.

 _That_ was when the real lessons had started.

He'd claimed you couldn't be a real member, given that you were once a prisoner, but he agreed to keep you as a reserve in case anything happened.

You wanted to ask his real reasons, but Renkotsu had been within earshot, so you decided that question could wait.

You surprised him with your ferocity, and on more than one occasion you came close to victory before he pulled some fancy footwork and threw you to the ground.

But no matter how hard he threw you, or how far away you landed, you were always quick to pick yourself up and get back into the ring, ready for another round. You toughened up quick, and when you finally beat him in a match, you saw that emotion swim through his eyes again before he stood and dusted himself off.

"I don't think that cell suites you any longer."

Your heart had frozen in fear, afraid that he'd finally had it, and was planning to kill you.

"Why don't we get you your own room?"

You'd been so relieved you'd cried, and you hardly even noticed when a warm hand landed on your shoulder, and a strong arm circled lightly around your back.

"Hey, don't cry about it! I thought a pretty girl like you would be thrilled to get out of that place."

You'd blushed at the compliment and tried to wipe away your tears while hiding your face. You really didn't want him knowing that he had that over you, those careless compliments about your appearance or strength. Those offhanded remarks that could be taken in so many different ways when you let your mind roam.

 _Up where the mountains meet the heavens above_  
_Out where the lightning splits the sea_  
 _I could swear that there's someone somewhere watching me_  
 _Through the wind and the chill and the rain_  
 _And the storm and the flood_  
 _I can feel his approach_  
 _Like the fire in my blood..._

It wasn't long after you'd moved into your room, which was conveniently located next to his, that the visits started again. At the beginning they were just casually pauses as he passed in front of your doorway, and then he ventured over the threshold and would take a few minutes to see how you were doing, and then he came in and sat at the end of your bed and spent a full half-hour talking to you.

The night you felt him slip into bed beside you, you were surprised but pleased, and relieved that that was as far as it went, because Suikotsu was just across the hall, and you didn't want him to hear anything that would best be kept quiet.

It didn't take long for Bankotsu to start smiling at you the way he did with his other Band members, and whenever he found it necessary to touch you, even a brushing of shoulders, an electric shock ran through you from the contact.

And when he'd caught you off guard one night and pulled you into a rough kiss, it was all you could do to not push him against the wall and show him how you really felt.

The compliments continued. The casual comments about how you looked or moved; that seemed so innocent on the surface, but had a myriad of hidden meanings swirling just beneath them.

The touching was now commonplace. It wasn't odd for him to put his hand onto the small of your back or catch your arm or wrist when you stumbled, and every time he did you felt those same chills dance across your skin.

The midnight trysts were still a secret. You'd slip out of the base together, and tell anyone who asked you were going on patrol, and then be gone for hours, screaming to the heavens because you'd _fallen_.

Fallen so hard and so fast and so easily for the man who'd turned your village to dust and kept you because one of his compatriots thought you were cute enough to not kill.

"Why did you keep me?" You asked one night as you stared up at the stars, head resting on his shoulder.

He chuckled, and for a moment you thought he was just going to blow it off. But then he didn't. "Because Jakotsu wasn't the only one who thought you were cute enough to keep."

You looked at him then, arching an eyebrow. "Oh, so I'm just _cute_ now, huh? I distinctly remember you whispering something into my ear earlier about my, what was it, _unearthly beauty_."

He grinned at you. "And I was telling the truth. But at the time…" He trailed off, one hand tracing up the muscles in your arm and then coming to rest on your shoulder. "You improved upon further acquaintance."

You stuck your tongue out at him and he pounced, pushing it back into its proper place with his own.

And as you lay under the stars, wrapped in his arms, you knew _exactly_ why you'd fallen for him. And it didn't matter how you decided to handle it when the time came, because you were here now and that was all that mattered.

 _I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_  
 _He's gotta be sure_  
 _And it's gotta be soon_  
 _And he's gotta be larger than life..._

_"Holding Out For A Hero" by: Frou Frou_


	3. Perfect Skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the day you ran straight into a purple-and-black-clad chest because you were trying to get away from a village that hadn't liked the way you smiled, you turned your bright eyes onto purple and caught your breath. His smile was as stunning as yours was.
> 
> Miroku/Reader

_You got a perfect skin,  
With a Devils grin…_

You'd always been a girl who knew her own mind.

A girl who could tell you what she liked and why and would always be ready to speak her mind when the time came.

Even when you were little you were like that, and all your friends growing up around you had thought you odd for it. There was nothing wrong with being strong-willed, your parents had told you, but you had to be careful how you directed it.

You had to make sure you didn't insult someone who could end up hurting you.

So you'd listened and kept your opinions to yourself even when you thought that being taken down a beg might be the best thing for whoever you'd managed to stop from lashing out at.

You had rules you had to follow in your village and you planned to stick to them until you were old enough to get out and go see the world.

There were, after all, only so many things humans could do to a demon of your caliber, and you had no intention of letting them do it in the first place.

 _Say hello to the pretty eyes,_  
_Say hello to the deadliest lies._  
 _You got the looks, baby,_  
 _I could die._  
 _You got the looks._  
 _You got a murder style…_

When you'd left the nest and fled the watchful gaze of your parents, you turned out to be less reckless than your family would have ever guessed. You took your time exploring the world, and you kept your nose out of trouble with the humans.

You weren't malevolent towards any human who didn't deserve it by their actions against you or your family, and you were always as nice as you could be to the ones you ran across.

You didn't trouble with trouble, and it certainly didn't trouble with you.

You could flit in and out of situations and villages without leaving a trace of yourself behind, and managed to walk the thin line between both worlds with ease.

Demons accepted you with open arms when they were made aware of which clan you hailed from, and humans couldn't ever turn away your sweet smile and mild manner.

You'd learned to lie early on in life, and you could do it so easily now that it came as second nature. Lying was an instinct now, a means to an end, and you used all your practice and skill to get what you needed when you needed it.

And the day you ran straight into a purple-and-black-clad chest because you were trying to get away from a village that hadn't liked the way you smiled, you turned your bright eyes onto purple and caught your breath.

His smile was as stunning as yours was.

"I beg your pardon, Miss, but can I help you?"

"I… I'm so sorry for running into you, Sir! I was merely trying to, ah, escape some rather unsavory clutches."

That smile turned just a little more devious, and he caught you around the shoulders. "Well then! Why don't I take you into much more pleasant clutches?"

You grinned, nodding once before you followed his lead. "Excellent plan."

 _Say hello to the pretty eyes,_  
_Say hello perfect alibis._  
 _Shake your hips, baby,_  
 _I could die._  
 _Shake your hips;_  
 _You got an L.A. style…_

Miroku was the least monk-like monk you had ever met.

And you'd met your fair share over the course of your life.

If the grin and the looks weren't enough, there was the flirting and innuendos and touching that topped the whole thing off perfectly. He was so out of the ordinary in his line of work you had to wonder why he'd taken up the profession in the first place.

And then the realization that the two of you were rather alike struck you, and you'd laughed outright into the evening air, making him jump.

"I'm sorry, did I say something amusing?" He asked, tilting his head off to the side as he looked over at you.

"No, no, I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you." You smiled back at him, carefully dodging around a large rock on the path he was leading you along, promising that comfortable beds and warm food waited at the end of it. "I just realized something I hadn't before, is all."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't voice his question, instead merely letting his gaze drift over you. "Earlier, you said you were attempting to escape, how did you put it, unsavory _clutches_ … Pardon my curiosity, but what made them so unfavorable?"

You blinked one, twice, and then opened your mouth, instinct giving into feeling this time as the truth slipped out unbidden. "They didn't take kindly to my being a demon, I'm afraid."

He looked less surprised than you were expecting, and instead of pulling a sutra from in his robes and screaming at you to be gone, he merely smiled. "Lucky me, then, to have the pleasure of your company instead!"

And those purple eyes were dipping over your figure again, and you had to wonder just how many other women had been on the receiving end of that particular look, because you rather enjoyed it.

The same way you enjoyed the way his arm casually slipped around your waist as he pulled you out of the path of a careless horseman who'd trotted past.

There was something inviting about Miroku. Something that made you _want_ to let him look at you that way, and look back in much the same manner, just to get even.

He was handsome in a way that wasn't usually found in humans, and it went deeper than just the skin.

 _You can't keep me waiting forever, baby._  
_It's getting hot,_  
 _Who's going to rescue me?_  
 _You got a perfect skin,_  
 _With a Devil's grin._  
 _You got a perfect skin,_  
 _Eyes like sin…_

The beds you'd been promised, comfortable or otherwise, turned out to only be in the singular, and Miroku did the perfectly gallant thing and told you to take it, because he was used to sleeping sitting up when he was on the road.

You did the perfectly _you_ thing and told him not to be silly, because two people would fit in it without any difficulty and you didn't mind sharing.

He'd gone a rather interesting shade of pink for a few moments before he'd smoothed his grin back into place and agreed. "As long as my scent won't offend you, or course." He'd added with a wink.

"I don't think there's much you could do to offend me, Miroku." You replied with a wink of your own, earning you another flash of that blush and another of those long, sweeping glances.

"I'll try to keep that in mind."

Miroku ended up being the kind of bed partner you enjoyed, in that he let you curl around him when having a bad dream, but refused to reciprocate without proper cause.

Not that you doubted his ability to drum up a proper cause on very short notice, but he didn't, and you respected and appreciated that.

And when you woke up to him slowly rubbing circles across your back with a small crease between his eyebrows and a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth, you had to blink several times before you realized you were both perfectly awake. "Sorry, did I do something…?"

"You were having a dream…" His expression cleared and he shook his head. "I apologize; I shouldn't have been so forward." The hand on your back stilled, and you found yourself taking on his earlier appearance.

"Don't stop," you mumbled, simultaneously pushing back against his hand and nudging against his collarbone with your nose, "it feels nice."

That devilish grin of his was back in a flash, and he winked at you. "I doubt it's the only thing I could do that would feel nice…"

You looked up into purple eyes that spoke volumes, and only hoped yours were saying the same. "I should certainly hope not."

 _You got a perfect skin,_  
_With a devils grin._  
 _Perfect skin…_

_"Perfect Skin" by: The 69 Eyes_


	4. Hot Blooded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha wasn't sure where Kagome had found you, given that you didn't look like you belonged anywhere near a camp, but he certainly wasn't complaining. You were, well… To put it in the words of one of his campers, "hot as hell and just as sinful."
> 
> Inuyasha/Reader

_Well, I'm hot blooded, check it and see_  
_I got a fever of a hundred and three_  
 _Come on baby, do you do more than dance?_  
 _I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded..._

When Kagome had asked him to help out at the camp over the summer, he'd agreed without thinking, assuming it would only be for a few weeks.

He's been wrong.

Three months of being a counselor would get to _anyone_ , but especially to Inuyasha. He was sharing a cabin with Koga, of all people, and he swore that Kagome had done it on purpose in order to get them " _back on speaking terms_ ".

The two didn't hate each other, exactly, but they were usually less than friendly unless they had to be. So Inuyasha was currently tolerating the brunette and his loud voice in the small space of the cabin, and the other was putting up with him hating mornings with a fierce passion and setting a bad example for the campers.

But there were perks to being able to boss around bratty kids that had been shipped off by their parents for a week or two, and one of them was, frankly, _you_.

Inuyasha wasn't sure where Kagome had found you, given that you didn't look like you belonged anywhere _near_ a camp, but he certainly wasn't complaining. You were, well… To put it in the words of one of his campers, " _hot as hell and just as sinful_."

He'd cuffed the poor kid for that one, but mostly because he was right, and that sort of thing did not need to be coming out of a twelve-year-old with acne.

But yeah, in his opinion it was a perfectly valid description of you, and it was hard to hit the kid instead of high-five him because Inuyasha couldn't have said it better himself.

If pressed he probably would have admitted that the insane heat out here and the fact that he was stuck in a cabin with ten adolescent boys might have had something to do with his sudden inability to keep his eyes off you, but he didn't care.

And you didn't just have a great body, although _damn_ were you fine, but you had a great sense of humor too, and that earned you points with the white-haired boy.

He would even go so far to say that you were just the right amount of immature, seeing as you doused one of your campers with a bucket of water for not getting up on time, and he was all for that sort of behavior. Although he would have murdered anyone who tried to throw water at him, asleep or otherwise.

You were in charge of cabin six, along with Kagome, and Inuyasha had decided that by the time the kids left he'd get you alone and let you see just how hot blooded he currently was.

And if the way his skin prickled hotly whenever you were within ten feet of him was any indication, he was pushing the hundreds with his current temperature.

 _You don't have to read my mind, to know what I have in mind_  
_Honey you oughta know_  
 _Now you move so fine, let me lay it on the line_  
 _I wanna know what you're doin' after the show..._

As the days went by, Inuyasha found it harder and harder to keep his hands to himself, and wound up touching you in the most innocuous ways possible just to make the heat in his veins go away, at least for a little while.

It always came back, though, and usually with a vengeance.

In the middle of the most mundane activities he'd catch sight of you out of the corner of his eye and suddenly he couldn't pay attention to whatever it was he'd been doing. Which usually resulted in Koga giving him an earful, but he really couldn't bring himself to care once you smiled at him the way you always did when you walked by.

And when you cheered for his team in whatever game or competition they were competing in, he worked that much harder at winning just so he could hear you cheer.

And then one afternoon your team was the one swimming a relay against Ayame's cabin and he was sure his head would explode from the sudden surge of heat that seeing you climb out of the pool brought on.

After that he decided something needed to be done. Something that involved both of you without any prying eyes and a good deal of contact going on.

The only issue with this grand scheme was that during the week you were needed, and on the weekends between waves of campers you had things to do in order to get ready for the next barrage of brats.

Inuyasha decided that schedules were of the devil and should be sent straight to hell, but given that he would invoke the wrath of Kagome if he tried to get around his own duties, there was nothing for it but to hope Fate would be nice just _once_ and throw the two of you together sometime when you could actually take ten minutes to be in each other's company without something else going on.

Well, Inuyasha amended, without something camp-related going on.

He had a list of things he would be happy to have going on, but none of them involved screaming. _Kids_ screaming, he amended again. You doing so, however, was another matter entirely.

_Now it's up to you, we can make a secret rendezvous  
Just me and you; I'll show you lovin' like you never knew..._

It took another week and a half for Fate to get its head on straight and give him the absolutely perfect opportunity to show you exactly what your sauntering about the place did to him.

Not that he thought you did it on purpose, but that was beside the point. You walked past, and his internal temperature spiked up past any sort of healthy level.

The thing was, though, whenever you asked if there was something else you could do for him, which you _always_ said with the most freaking _innocent_ smile, the only thing that popped into his head were absurdly cheesy pick-up lines that had no business vying for position on the tip of his tongue. So every time he'd shake his head and grin, because if he opened his mouth you'd probably slap him, and you would be completely justified in the action.

But one night, when the campers were gone and clean-up was finally finished, you all sat around a table in the kitchens and sat with your feet propped up because you had friggin' _earned it_ after the crap the last set of kids had pulled.

"I swear; this is the last time I take on rich kids." Kagome lamented, nursing her personal carton of ice-cream. "I don't care how much their parents pay us, it's not worth it."

Jinenji, who led all the equestrian activities for the kids, chuckled softly. "I don't know, Kagome, they weren't so bad this time."

She pointed her spoon at him threateningly. "Only because _you_ didn't have them in the cabins!"

Koga laughed. "She has a point, man; there was this one kid in ours who was a total brat."

Inuyasha was only half listening to the banter, most of his attention directed on you and the way you were currently cleaning your spoon of sticky vanilla ice-cream.

Miroku, who had been quiet up till now, snorted softly, and shrugged. "I think we should try something different with them, next time."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to send him a snippy reply when something cold and hard smacked into his red-clad chest. "The hell…?" A spoon was lying in his lap, vanilla ice-cream dripping off it slowly and sinking into the fabric of his jeans.

"I am so sorry!" You looked nearly as surprised as Inuyasha, and he realized that the spoon was yours. "I have no idea how that happened, it just…"

He stood up, walking around the table to plop the spoon back into your carton before he moved off towards the wash rooms. "Relax, it'll wash out."

He would have been lying if he said his heart didn't suddenly start pumping at a completely break-neck speed when you stood up and followed him, mumbling something about trying to help him get it out.

And yeah, there went his skin again, getting all hot and prickly and way to warm to be a good sign. Fate had finally gotten the damn idea and sent him a shot.

 _If it feels alright, maybe you can stay all night_  
_Shall I leave you my key?_  
 _But you've got to give me a sign, come on girl, some kind of sign_  
 _Tell me, are you hot mama? You sure look that way to me_  
 _Are you old enough? Will you be ready when I call your bluff?_  
 _Is my timing right? Did you save your love for me tonight?_

When he peeled his t-shirt off and plopped it into the sink, he was rather smug to see a faint flush bloom up into your cheeks and settle there comfortably while he started filling the sink with water and pouring some soap in.

"You… You could just spot it, you know." You muttered from behind him, trying not to stare at the large expanse of tan skin suddenly on display to you.

"Yeah, but then I'd have weird damp spots on my shirt," he leaned back against the counter and folded his arms, eyes carefully trained on the rising water level in the sink, "this way I'm perfectly justified in screwing the shirt entirely while it dries."

That flush of yours kicked up the luminosity a notch, and he barely bit back a smirk. "Right…"

"Not sure what I'm gonna do about my jeans, though…" He trailed off meaningfully and saw the way you pointedly didn't look his way while your cheeks burned a bit more brightly. "No way am I spotting them and having Koga crack jokes all night."

"You could wait till you get back to your room…" You offered up softly, finally glancing his way to where the ice-cream had left a stain on his left leg. "It's not as bad as the shirt was."

He shrugged, switching off the faucet and setting to work rubbing the stain from his shirt. "I guess I could."

"I'm sorry again, by the way," you offered once his back was turned, "I really don't know what happened."

"Don't worry about it." He answered automatically before any lame lines could slip out. "It's not your fault."

"Still, I wish there was something I could do," your voice was a little less tentative this time, "to make up for it, I mean."

Inuyasha stopped scrubbing and looked over his shoulder at you. "What did you have in mind?"

Your blush was still in evidence, he noted, and you weren't looking at him as you shrugged slightly. "Whatever, you know."

He stared at you. "C'mere."

You slipped closer, and then jumped about a mile in the air when his lips landed on yours _finally_ , and he pressed a little harder just to be sure you got the message loud and clear.

If the way your nails were biting into his skin was any indication, then yeah, you'd read his message right.

"If I accidentally misplace my spare key into your back pocket, do you think you could get it back to me later?" And that had actually sounded worse in his head than it did out loud, and maybe these lines weren't such a bad immediate reaction to you being around.

"That would certainly be a possibility," you mumbled back past the haze of his mouth on your pulse, "since I'd clearly have to check in and make sure those jeans of yours aren't ruined by my clumsiness."

"They might get ruined for another reason entirely if you're not careful." He grinned sharply at the way your breath hitched for a second as his hand slipped casually into your back pocket. "But I'm willing to take the chance."

And as fast as it had started, it stopped, and he went back to washing his shirt like nothing had happened, because he was about ten seconds from forgetting all about _his_ shirt in favor of getting rid of _yours_.

You casually slipped out of the room and off down the hall, and Inuyasha had to try and keep his mind on the task at hand instead of what would be waiting for him back in his room.

Fate, he decided, was clearly and under-appreciated artist.

 _Girl, I'm hot blooded, check it and see_  
_Feel a fever burnin' inside of me_  
 _Come on baby, do you do more than dance?_  
 _I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded..._

_"Hot Blooded" by: Foreigner_


	5. Are You Gonna Be My Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You liked coming here for another reason entirely, not that you'd tell your girls that, and it could be found in the form of one particularly handsome brunette who always occupied the same booth in the back of the club, arms folded over his plain gray shirt, eyes keen and searching.
> 
> Kouga/Reader

_I say you look so fine  
that I really wanna make you mine..._

On any given weekend, it would be safe to assume that you'd be out on the town, enjoying your newly-graduated freedom from school. You'd given entirely too many years of your life to education, and now that you were finally done you wanted nothing more than to celebrate the fact and let everyone who'd listen know that you were free.

And usually, on these said weekends, you'd go out of your way to have fun just so that you could relish in the fact that when Monday came, you'd be able to crash back at your apartment and pretend the rest of the world didn't exist for a few days before you went back out to do it all again.

It was the ultimate cycle of wash, rinse, repeat. Except without the suds and bottles of hair-care products.

The only thing that ever really got to you, in the maelstrom of clubs and constant entertainment, was the simple fact that you usually came home alone. And seeing as you shared the apartment with one of your closest friends, not bringing boys home wasn't really a bad thing. Kagome was a great girl and all, but there were boundaries that even she wasn't willing to push.

The two of you would go out as often as possible, of course, usually with an entourage of at least another girl or two, if you could coax Rin into doing something reckless without her guardian finding out, or if Sango decided to take a break off from her work to go have fun with her friends.

But whatever number your party consisted of, there was never a limit to how much fun you could have, or how much mischief you could make for the rest of the world.

And, frankly, how much trouble you could cause for the boys who tried to join in on your little troupe, and were quickly kicked to the curb.

 _So 1, 2, 3, take my hand and come with me_  
_because you look so fine_  
 _and I really wanna make you mine..._  
 _Oh, 4, 5, 6 c'mon and get your kicks_  
 _now you don't need that money_  
 _when you look like that, do ya honey..._

There was one club, located back behind a multitude of neon lights and bouncers with regimental lines marked out in black tape; that you always went to with Sango. And that you never went to with Rin. Her guardian might have turned a blind eye to a few things, but dragging his little ward to that club and that part of town certainly wouldn't have been one of them.

So you three girls went on your own, and whenever you did, you could see the uncertainty climb up Kagome's spine as you got closer to the doors. It was common for her to try and turn back at least twice before you and Sango hustled her into the doors and let the heavy beats and bright lights wash over you in pounding, neon waves.

Sango loved it here, so completely opposite from her work and the rest of her life, and you had to admit that you enjoyed the sensation of feeling so far away from the world nearly as much as she did. Kagome, of course, never left your side; and always looked about a minute from terror when someone came a little too close for comfort. A few drinks into the evening, though, and she was hitting the dance floor with Sango and laughing till her throat hurt.

You'd dance and laugh and have a good time, but you were usually the designated driver, never really having acquired a taste for alcohol, so you sat at the bar and watched them knock back shots, and would laugh at the way Kagome shivered all the way down to her toes when the burn started at the back of her throat.

You liked coming here for another reason entirely, not that you'd tell your girls that, and it could be found in the form of one particularly handsome brunette who always occupied the same booth in the back of the club, arms folded over his plain gray shirt, eyes keen and searching. So when you danced over on that side of the floor, you always made sure to give it your all, because something told you he was watching you in particular, and that made chills caper their way up your spine.

 _Big black boots,_  
_long brown hair,_  
 _she's so sweet_  
 _with her get back stare..._

He, of course, was the only one you really allowed to look at you for any length of time before you gave them a look that sent them packing. Sango teased you relentlessly about the fact, usually commenting that you'd never find a boy that way, and all you wanted to do was tell her you already had.

Well, in a manner.

It wasn't as though you could just walk up to him and say "hi, I noticed you watching me, wanna trade numbers?" Well, Sango might have been able to, but you weren't exactly that confident in your communication skills when they were being used to ask extremely handsome guys for their number.

But as luck would have it, you didn't have to ask him anything, because he came to talk to you before the night was out, and you thought you might never be able to leave again, with the way he grinned and said your name so nicely, like he'd been practicing since before you'd ever even been introduced.

And as though hearing him speak wasn't a nice enough treat, he could certainly move on the dance floor, and you realized you were actually getting lightheaded just being around him. Of course, lightheadedness in combination with cute boys and clubs usually meant something bad, but the minute he noticed you swaying on the spot, he hurried you to his table in the corner and fussed over you until he knew you were alright.

Which set of warning bells for your dear girlfriends when they noticed you were missing, but a few hurried text messages under the table while your brunette went to get you water put their minds at ease. Which was usually a task easier said than done.

 _Well I could see,_  
_you home with me,_  
 _but you were with another man, yea!_  
 _I know we,_  
 _ain't got much to say,_  
 _before I let you get away, yea!_  
 _I said, are you gonna be my girl?_

Koga, who offered to drive you home and call your friends a cab, was possibly the nicest guy you'd ever met in a club, and you'd met your fare share. Including the one who was currently coming through the door and giving you a look like he'd never seen you properly before. Miroku was Sango's boyfriend, of course, but that didn't stop him from pausing in the doorway and pressing a kiss to your cheek before he bid you goodnight. And since your new-found friend didn't know the other brunette on sight, it was safe to say he misunderstood the total exchange before you took the time to explain it to him delicately on the way back to your apartment.

He offered to walk you up to your apartment, and you accepted without having to think twice about it. Kagome might not have wanted to stretch the rules, but she wasn't here to comment, and you honestly couldn't care less.

What may have likely turned into something completely scandalous stopped the second you'd tripped and landed splayed on the couch. You both laughed before he gave you a feral grin and let slip a question you hadn't honestly been expecting.

"Are you gonna be my girl?"

Your reply wasn't verbal, but you had no doubt that he clearly understood the message.

_I say you look so fine  
that I really wanna make you mine..._

_"Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by: Jet_


	6. You Give Me That Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But they day he had landed, bleeding from a gash to his side and looking half-drowned in the rain that pelted the mountainside, you had taken pity on the crimson-eyed creature, and welcomed him into your home without reservations or doubts. He was in trouble, and you had always looked to your own kind when they required it.
> 
> Hiten/Reader

_How many words are there to say?_  
_But I still can't find a way_  
 _To tell you how you've captured me_  
 _And turned it all around_  
 _I want to write it down_  
 _I need to say it out loud_  
 _This force inside is driving me_  
 _And I can't hold it in_  
 _I know you're the only one_  
 _Who could help me finally open up_  
 _You created something new in me..._

Living up in the mountains, away from humans and demons alike, you never really had the chance to find out more about life than what was around you. It didn't bother you, this voluntary solitude, and as you sat in the temple at the top of the mountain and listened to the wind, you knew there was nothing you needed outside of your home.

You were content, if not completely happy, but it was enough for you. It was a nice, steady existence, and without influence from outside forces, you were free to live as you saw fit, guided by the wind and directed by the voices that were carried upon it. The world had left you to your own business long ago, and even the villagers down at the base of the mountain had ceased to believe in your existence. You were a myth, a story on the wind that you so perfectly controlled. Nothing more.

But the self-sustenance and solitude suited a wind demon such as you, and as long as you could hear the wind and feel the rain you were free to do as you pleased. Free to ride the currents and watch the world from your perch. Free to keep the villagers who had abandoned you safe, despite their lack of faith. And when you were visited by others, however infrequently, it gave you the opportunity to carry on.

But it was not always just you up there among the clouds, because there were other demons in the sky besides just yourself, and when they came to stay it was usually without warning or invitation, and you often had to fight to keep your home safe.

But they day he had landed, bleeding from a gash to his side and looking half-drowned in the rain that pelted the mountainside, you had taken pity on the crimson-eyed creature, and welcomed him into your home without reservations or doubts. He was in trouble, and you had always looked to your own kind when they required it.

He had not been ungracious, despite his not knowing you before that day, but he allowed you to treat his wound and whisper that he needed rest and you would keep him safe until the storm passed. He had scoffed at that, telling you that he was more than capable of handling a little ill weather, but you didn't care.

There was something about him, something you weren't about to let slip from your grasp before you got to know it better, and you refused to let him leave until you were sure he was healed properly. He didn't argue with your continued insistence that he should stay, and instead almost seemed to encourage it, in a silent way. He was charming and attractive, and for someone who hadn't had contact with the rest of the world for as long as you had, he was exactly what you needed…

Exactly what you wanted.

 _Your light, it shines so bright_  
_It makes the day seem like the night_  
 _You chase away the shadows_  
 _And illuminate my path_  
 _I know you're the only one_  
 _Who could help me finally open up_  
 _You created something new in me..._

You knew he would eventually leave, it was inevitable, there was nothing you could have done, save injure him further, to keep him by your side. But you hadn't imagined he would whisper a promise to return into your ear before a pair of warm lips descended against your cheek, and he disappeared back into the night. You had been expecting the customary formal farewell, the one that always preceded those that never thought of you again, save in dreams and half-forgotten memories.

But he had promised, had that thunder demon, promised he'd come back again when he told his brother what had happened and set his mind at ease. Promised to come see you again and perhaps stay longer this time around. That grin he had given you had haunted your dreams for days afterward, always followed by the recollection of his warm lips against your skin, and the tang of his scent in your mind. He crackled through the air around him, giving off energy like the lightning he controlled, and it was intoxicating to be near him.

When he did return, heralded by a roll of thunder and a blaze of lightning, you had to catch your breath, because nothing was quite as brilliant as him. Nothing could light up your world the way he could, tearing away your defenses until he could learn more about you, learn why you lived up among the clouds alone, and never let others in past the first door to your home. Nothing could cure your eyes of darkness the way he did.

As time passed and he came and went on a regular basis, you realized he stayed longer every time he slipped into your life. And whenever he had to leave again, usually against his will, it was with another grin and a promise to come back and visit. And you'd sit and sigh the time away until you heard a storm start to roll in towards your home, and then you'd be back up on your feet and pacing by the door until he came in and caught you around the waist and whispered of how much he had missed you.

 _You give me that feeling_  
_A power I can believe in_  
 _The world around me disappears_  
 _You give me that feeling_  
 _I could smash straight through the ceiling_  
 _Fly until I reach the sun_  
 _You give me that feeling..._

When you were together, the world seemed to melt away into long talks by candlelight and flights through frigid air in order to take a peek at some new wonder he wanted to share with you. And when you returned, often soaking wet from the clouds you dove through, you would laugh until you cried, and then collapse into a shivering, dripping heap until he came along to warm you up.

He was electric, literally, and whenever you two touched you could feel the charge running along just under his skin, ready to rush out in an instant if he thought it necessary. He kisses sent shocks up your spine for more reason than one, and he seemed to know what it did to you, because he was careful without keeping anything back.

When you were with him, you felt as though you were soaking up some of his power as well, taking in a little of it for yourself. It was a hum under your skin, a charge in your mind that hadn't been there before. It was completely new and not entirely unappreciated. You felt more than a little guilty, for taking it in without having anything to give back, but whenever you asked what you could do in return, he would laugh and press a kiss to your shoulder and tell you that you were already doing it for him.

He got under your skin in the best possible way, and picked away at the armor you had so carefully forged until it chipped away entirely and shattered under his careful persistence. He wanted to know about you, every secret you'd stashed away from the rest of the world, and he wasn't ever going to let you close back up while he was there. He pried you apart as gently as possible, and refused to be closed back out once he had gotten inside.

He wanted to be a part of your life, a part of your sequestered world away from everyone else, and he wasn't ever going to take no for an answer. You had learned early on that if Hiten wanted something, he got it, and it was very clear that he wanted you. Every last inch of you, if he was to be believed; and he intended to get it.

And you, after all this time, intended to give it.

 _I always thought if someone knew the real me_  
_They would turn away_  
 _But now I've found your love completes me_  
 _And I'll never be the same..._

_"You Give Me That Feeling" by: Fireflight_


	7. Evil Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, when you'd first been found on the streets by the tall, dark haired stranger, you hadn't been expecting to end up as his right hand in the syndicate, and you certainly hadn't been expecting to get so much pleasure out of the whole thing.
> 
> Naraku/Reader

_Hold it together, birds of a feather,_   
_Nothing but lies and crooked wings._   
_I have the answer, spreading the cancer;_   
_You are the faith inside me..._

The streets that led to and from the familiar, tall structure were dark, even in the middle of the day when light managed to slide in through the cracks in the almost-constant cloud cover, and the journey had long since become one you knew from habit more than anything else. You couldn't even really remember how long you'd worked in this section of the city, with all the other crooks and cutthroats that would have surely killed you by now if not for one thing in particular.

The spider tattoo that graced the back of your neck served better than any weapon would have to discourage trouble on the streets, and it would have been _begging_ for trouble for one of the other families to lay a finger on a member of the Onigumo clan.

Admittedly, when you'd first been found on the streets by the tall, dark haired stranger, you hadn't been expecting to end up as his right hand in the syndicate, and you certainly hadn't been expecting to get so much pleasure out of the whole thing.

But that was the strange thing about the families out here. Once you were a part of them, there was no leaving, no changing your mind and choosing another path for your life. Once you were in, there was no way out, and that was a simple fact that you had long ago come to terms with.

Not that you minded anymore, with how quickly you'd shot up the ranks and worked your way into the comfortable position of _Assistant Director_ , which was just a cushy way of saying you were the boss's go-to girl when things weren't getting done.

And when things didn't get done in your family, you went and did them yourself, and when you did that, people tended to end up dead.

Wasn't your fault they just couldn't hold their arsenic.

Naraku had never complained about the way you did things, though, and you took that as a very good sign. Usually when something didn't go the way he had planned, the person who hadn't followed orders ended up with a new cement suit, but you… You were different, somehow.

And you decided that you liked it that way.

 _I'm a believer,_  
_Nothing could be worse,_  
 _All these imaginary friends._  
 _Hiding betrayal,_  
 _Driving the nail,_  
 _Hoping to find a savior..._

When you were on a case, no matter who had put you there, you always kept up with the other members of your family. If there was somewhere that was already taken for a drop-off (and thankfully the cops knew better than to look into any suspicious, strategically placed bins of any kind), you'd have to leave your parcel somewhere else, and that could take a bit of maneuvering about the city to achieve unless you were out on your own without anyone else hogging all the drop-off points that dotted your section of the city.

Most people knew better than to try and dump something in Onigumo territory, but every once in a while you'd get a new kid that didn't know any better, and he'd wander over the line that surrounded your sector of the city. Those were the worst, because then you had to take care of it personally and be sure the little runt didn't do it again.

Unless, of course, you sent someone else to go do it (usually Kagura, because she couldn't shut up about how left out of the loop she felt, and you liked making her suffer for complaining about her lack of missions), and stayed behind at the hideout with your boss.

Which was where you were now.

"I've been keeping an eye on you recently," his voice was keyed to a lower note than usual, and you had to struggle to hear him from the other side of the room, "I must admit to being impressed, even by one such as you."

His summons had arrived on your desk that morning without any sort of forewarning, and you'd been admittedly worried about it before you'd plucked up the courage to take the elevator to the top floor and slip through the slick chrome doors to his office. Despite the state of most of the city, this sector was by far the nicest that could be seen for miles, and Naraku had made sure where he made his home could live up to his expectations. "Thank you, sir." You replied softly when you realized he was waiting for a response. "It means a great deal for you to say so."

He turned away from the window, his profile catching the light from outside, and not for the first time you were struck with just how attractive your boss was. "You deserved it. I wouldn't have complimented you otherwise."

And wasn't _that_ true. You'd had more slaps to the wrist in your time than you would have ever admitted, but the times like this, when you got it right, made all the small reprimands you'd had to endure so totally worth it. "I know, sir, but I still appreciate the compliment."

He chuckled, a rumble like thunder that sounded through the room and gave you chills. "Keep up the good work, and you might get more than a compliment next time." His eyes flashed for the briefest of moments with something you couldn't quite name, but before you had the chance to try and work it out he'd turned away again. "Close the door on your way out."

You bowed, even though he couldn't see, and took your leave quietly. The whole elevator ride back down to your own office, you could feel your heart hammering in your chest at the quiet promise he'd made.

Naraku had saved you from who knew what fate when he'd taken you under his wing all those years ago, and you would be lying if you said that even at the time you'd admired him. There was just something about him, a presence he possessed that could easily fill a room.

And fill your mind, if the way you couldn't stop thinking of him was anything to go by. But you couldn't really complain, as you plopped back into the chair behind your desk and pretended to work, because everyone had to have a savior, and you were content with the one you had found.

 _No, don't_  
_Leave me to die here,_  
 _Help me survive here._  
 _Alone, don't surrender, surrender..._

You'd been shot before now, you were familiar with how the pain bloomed from the wound to whatever part of your body the punk who'd been pulling the trigger had been lucky enough to hit, you knew it would eventually get better, if you kept your breathing even and didn't give into the darkness rimming your eyes, but there was only so much you could do as the blood flowed through your fingers as you pressed against the wound ineffectually and _willed_ help to come quickly.

It should have been an easy mission, a simple scout-and-report that would just take an hour or so to complete, but then that punk Inuyasha and his gang had decided to pick today, _of all days_ , to stage a coup and try to encroach on your family's patch.

And okay, yeah, you'd always secretly laughed at the runt for carrying a _sword_ in this day and age (because please, who did that anymore?), but you'd never doubted his girl's ability with a gun, and Kagome had gotten a lucky shot off while you'd tried to run for better cover.

It was a through-and-through, a blessing and a curse if you thought about it, close enough to the edge of your side to not lodge in your ribs, but deep enough to hurt like hell and bleed like a stuck pig. You whimpered softly, adding more pressure to the wound and shifting to tug at your jacket, ready to rip the thing to shreds if you needed to in order to patch yourself up and make it home.

Like _hell_ you were dying out here alone.

You nearly screamed when a warm hand landed over yours, and a voice whispered softly into your ear for you to keep still and keep breathing. "I will _not_ let that mutt take something of such value from me. Not this time." Naraku's hands pressed to the wound, the pressure making a noise you weren't proud of slip past your lips before you could stop it.

It hurt, the throbbing in your side and the cold cement under you offering no comfort for your weary bones. All you wanted to do was sleep, despite the continued whispered order in your ear that forbade you from even closing your eyes, and you bit hard on the tip of your tongue to keep yourself conscious.

When he moved you, you screamed, because you hadn't been expecting it and the sudden change of position caught you in a blindside of pain that tore through you, putting every nerve on high alert as he settled you into his lap and held you more tightly. "I thought I told you," he hissed against your temple, his voice searing into your mind, " _do not_ fall asleep."

"Y-yes, sir." You panted out, trying to keep your eyes open and focused despite how hard you were struggling to do that on top of the constant reminder you kept sending your lungs when they felt like they might stop dragging in air.

"I suppose," he mused after another moment of painful silence, "given the fact that you are now bleeding all over my suit, you could call me by my name."

"N-Naraku…" You breathed, using the name like a lifeline to drag yourself back to awareness. "Don't leave me here alone."

The hand not occupied with holding you together at your side ran slowly through your hair, long fingers massaging your scalp almost absentmindedly. "I do not intend to."

 _Oh_  
_Fly over me evil angel._  
 _Why can't I breathe evil angel...?_

When you awoke, it was with a start and a strangle cry for hands that were just out of reach and a voice that had lulled you back to the land of the living.

"Hush now," you snapped your head around when that same voice whispered to you in the darkness of the hospital room, "if you move too much you'll tear out your stitches."

Your heart skipped several beats and your breathing became more labored as you remembered what happened, the bullet to your side, the hands doing their best to hold all your blood inside the wound, the words spoken so softly you almost thought you had imagined them. "Naraku…?" Your voice was a tentative whisper in the dim room, but the almost-smile you received as answer told that he had heard you.

"You're lucky; the damage should be gone in practically no time." His fingers lingered against your side for longer than strictly necessary, as though he were trying to reassure himself that you were alright. "They assure me that you will be back to your old job soon."

There was warmth in his tone, more than you'd been expecting, and you let him guide you back into the bed without any resistance. "Do you make a habit of visiting your employees when they end up in the hospital, or am I a special case?"

"I would have been remiss in my duties as head of the family if I let you go alone into a car full of strangers, ambulance or otherwise." His tone indicated this should have been obvious, even if you had just recovered from an injury severe enough to land you in the hospital. "I was merely ensuring nothing untoward happened to my favorite Assistant Director."

Your heart decided to make a break for it through your ribcage, as though you hadn't bled enough for one day, and you couldn't look at him as heat flooded your cheeks and you found it hard to breathe.

He stood then, adjusting his tie, and you noticed the rust red stain that covered a good portion of his suit. He hadn't changed since he'd found you in that alley, a testament to how worried he'd actually been. "Do try to rest, won't you?" He asked with an arched eyebrow, as though you might dare to say no. "I can't have you exhausted when you come back to work… It just wouldn't do." His eyes danced again with that emotion you'd caught before, and as he bent and pressed a light kiss to the top of your head, you could feel the grin on his lips.

Suddenly, you realized you were having trouble getting air into your lungs again, but this time for a completely different reason.

 _Put me to sleep evil angel._  
_Open your wings evil angel…_

_"Evil Angel" by: Breaking Benjamin_

**Author's Note:**

> InuYasha and All Related Characters belong to: Rumiko Takahashi


End file.
